Broadcasting Minister, Jonathan Coleman, has released the Briefing to the Incoming Minister of Broadcasting.

Briefing paper from the Ministry for Culture and Heritage Broadcasting_BIM.pdf (pdf, 330 Kb)

Introduction

Congratulations on becoming Minister of Broadcasting. Yours is a role of considerable importance in the support and development of New Zealand's culture, and in the quality of information available to New Zealanders. The Ministry for Culture and Heritage - the government agency charged with the development of broadcasting policy - looks forward to working with you towards the achievement of your government's broadcasting and cultural objectives. New Zealand's distinctive culture is maintained by arts and creative activities, by sports and recreation, by engagement with our history, heritage and environment, and by languages, film and broadcasting. Aspects of these operate effectively without public assistance, but important parts of our cultural life would simply not be present without intelligent intervention from the government. In the absence of government involvement there would be - for example - no Te Papa, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra or, by definition, public broadcasting. The rationale for government assistance is not just the fact that individual citizens enjoy watching New Zealand programmes on television or going to exhibitions and concerts, and benefit from doing so. The broader implications of widespread access to and understanding of New Zealand culture also make this a crucial area of government engagement with communities, all New Zealanders and the rest of the world. The policies, organisations and activities which represent government's involvement in the cultural sector have a strong bearing on New Zealand's standing in the world; on our development as a self-aware, confident, prosperous and cohesive society; and on New Zealanders' sense of identity. This is particularly true given globalising trends in technology, marketing and travel, which pose a threat to the special cultures of small nations at the same time as cultural distinctiveness is being more highly valued. The quality of our broadcasting services also has a major influence on the information and ideas available to people, and thus on their ability to participate as citizens in a democracy. The specific projects and tasks for which the Ministry is responsible contribute in their various ways towards these outcomes. The Regional Museums Policy for Capital Construction Projects, the development of New Zealand Memorial Park and the production of works of history are examples of Ministry activities which are premised on the importance of New Zealanders knowing and valuing their culture and country. The policy programme in broadcasting - and in particular the ongoing review of broadcasting regulation - recognises the very great influence of the broadcasting media on New Zealanders' understanding of their society and their involvement in its development. The Ministry's work on broadcasting is strongly interlinked with its work in other areas, particularly music, film and archiving, reflecting the close connections between the sectors themselves. Advances in digital and web technology make possible initiatives such as Te Ara the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, NZLive and new kinds of television delivery - all of which mean that cultural information and experiences are or will be significantly more accessible. Given the range of potential cultural projects, of course, any government's involvement in culture must of necessity be selective (and will result in certain opportunity costs). You, along with your ministerial colleagues, make decisions about what elements are most deserving of public resources; the Ministry takes very seriously its responsibility to inform, support and execute those decisions. We will also continue to support your engagement with the range of organisations that supply cultural services to the Crown. Crown entities such as NZ On Air and the New Zealand Film Commission play an important role, as do non-government bodies such as the Royal New Zealand Ballet and the New Zealand Film Archive, from which the Crown purchases services but which it does not own. The Crown investment in the non-departmental organisations funded through the Ministry is considerable (some $254 million in 2008/09, including $158 million to broadcasting agencies); agency governance and funding issues require the ongoing attention of government if this investment is to be as effective as possible. Our support of your work will also likely mean that we will continue to work closely with other central government organisations. The Ministry's responsibility for local content and public broadcasting, among other issues, complements the Ministry of Economic Development's responsibility for the radio spectrum, telecommunications and the development of broadband, so the two Ministries work closely together. The Ministry liaises regularly with Te Puni K?kiri, which has responsibilities for Maori broadcasting - including the funding agency Te Mango Paho and Maori Television - which closely parallel the Ministry's own. More widely, there is a cultural component - actual or potential - to the work of many other departments too. The fact that cultural initiatives can contribute to the achievement of other, non-cultural government objectives is increasingly recognised (though arguably it needs to be better understood throughout government, and embedded in the broader processes of policy development). The Ministry has developed working relationships with, for example, other divisions of the Ministry of Economic Development and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, as cultural tools have been employed in support of higher employment and international diplomacy, and copyright issues have been addressed. The Ministry works also with local government organisations towards the strengthened cultural well-being of local communities. The country's broader economic well-being is served by government's commitment to culture, expressed via broadcasting, as an integral part of New Zealand life - not a discretionary extra. The Minister for Arts, Culture and Heritage is the Ministry's Responsible Minister with whom I agree the broader work programme that the Ministry is to undertake each year. It is to you as Minister of Broadcasting, however, that the Ministry reports with respect to that significant proportion of the Ministry's resources that are directed towards broadcasting-related activities. I will be pleased to have the opportunity to meet with you to talk about your own priorities for the portfolio, along with the matters raised in this briefing. Bronwyn Dalley Acting Chief Executive Ministry for Culture and Heritage 20/12/08